


best sister ever

by meteor-sword (vaenire)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Sibling Love, mention of broken bone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:07:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25258969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vaenire/pseuds/meteor-sword
Summary: At first, Katara didn’t think much of it.//for tumblr prompt: "kataras perspective on her brother and zukos relationship?" from @itszukkatime <3
Relationships: Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 504





	best sister ever

At first, Katara didn’t think much of it. 

Beyond, of course, scrutinizing Zuko’s every move around Sokka, and Toph, and Aang, and everyone else. 

But for that night, he and Sokka had brought her Dad back to her, so she sat in quiet skepticism beside her Dad at the fire, ignoring how Sokka sat between Suki and Zuko. 

\--

She thought about it more after their trip to see Yon Rha. Even then it was a simple thought: Zuko was part of the family now. A friend, even. 

\--

When Suki and Toph arrived supporting a limping Sokka, Katara thought nothing of directing them to set him on the second of the Royal Physician’s cot, beside Zuko’s. Even when Zuko, wincing hard at his own wound, pushed himself up to apprehensively watch Katara tend to her brother’s leg, coming closer to let Sokka squeeze his hand when she reset the bone, she thought he was a very good friend. 

And maybe that’s exactly what they were, at the time. 

\--

It was when Zuko started to visit the South Pole more frequently that she started to consider reasons other than reconstruction aid. 

Of course reconstruction was (likely) still his primary concern: Zuko was a dedicated lead, ushering in a period of kindness and love, even when it called for difficult journeys to the coldest regions of the world. 

However, it was the third fishing trip that week that Sokka dragged the Fire Lord along that tipped Katara off, and frankly she felt a little foolish once she started connecting the dots. For a moment she thought, indignantly, that Sokka should’ve told her something: but Sokka never told her anything, so she truthfully couldn’t have expected  _ this _ to be different. 

Except it  _ was _ different, because this was  _ Zuko _ . The guy who chased them across the world trying to kill them for half a year, who had trouble doing the right thing in the past, who-- she stopped herself. She knew better than to follow this train of thought. 

But it  _ was _ Zuko, who risked his life to break their father out of jail and who jumped between her and Azula with almost no plan. He was a good and loyal friend, and a powerful ally. 

She couldn’t overlook the potential complications. She knew Sokka couldn’t, either. She hoped he would remember them before doing anything irrational. 

Another thing that she couldn’t overlook was the significance of the day Sokka had chosen for their fishing trip: the tenth day of the seventh moon of Katara’s seventeenth year, which marked the tenth year since the last Fire Nation raid. 

Sokka must have confided this in Zuko during their day spent in the umiak, because the boys came back more solemn than when they’d left in the morning. 

Zuko, to his credit, was finally catching onto the whole ‘fishing’ thing, managing to haul in an armful of fish himself, unlike his pitiful handful his first time around. Sokka sharpened the ulus and they prepared their fish in silence.

Unlike most meals, this anniversary called for a larger gathering in Hakoda’s igloo, even if no one mentioned the reason why. Bato was there, as well as Aang and Zuko and a handful of other guests of importance in the Tribe, all eating roasted fish in relative silence. The atmosphere was heavy, but Katara was glad to be here with friends and family. 

She surveyed the group gathered around the fire, all the people closest to her in the world (minus Toph, who couldn’t be dragged away from her pupils) and a warm contentedness filled her as the five flavor soup warmed her tummy. 

However, when Bato added another log and the flames grasped upward, lighting Sokka’s face across from her, it was clear he didn't feel the same content. He stared at the flame, spoon sifting through his bowl aimlessly. 

Nearly as soon as she had noticed, Sokka was putting his bowl aside and standing, quietly excusing himself. Katara and the others watched him go, and Bato and Hakoda returned their gaze to their own food when the sealskin swung shut behind him. Katara sent a questioning look at Aang, who shrugged, before glancing at Zuko. He still watched where Sokka had just disappeared. 

It had taken time to figure out how to be informal with their Friend the Fire Lord while having formal dinners with their Father the Chief, but they had figured it out over the last two years. Still, it was cause for raised eyebrows when the Fire Lord excused himself early from dinner a few minutes later. 

Aang didn’t shrug when she shot him another questioning glance, rather just matching the askance in her face. 

\--

The thing was, relationships in the South Pole did not become ‘known’ until it was serious.  _ Engagement _ -level serious. Katara clearly didn’t take this custom to heart: her and Aang’s status had been pretty clear upon their very first return to the South Pole. 

Somewhat similarly, relationships in the Fire Nation was, to her understanding, not discussed openly unless they were arranged, which called for a  _ lot _ of discussion between families. 

With this in mind, she wasn’t sure how much of the secrecy about their relationship was due to custom and how much was due to Sokka’s general need to keep his life to himself. 

Beyond regular visits to each other’s nations and conspicuous disappearances during said visits, Katara had no concrete confirmation. Any casual touch or offhand eye contact could be chalked up to their great friendship, and at some point during the next decade, Katara was certain she’d imagined it all. 

She changed her mind when Bumi was born. 

After hours of labor, Katara couldn’t remember if Zuko was already visiting, or on his way, or if Aang had hopped on Appa and gone and gotten him, but Zuko was there in waiting when Bumi was born, and he was there when he was bundled up and handed to Katara, and then Aang, who handed him with utmost care to an awestruck Sokka. 

It was the closest to tears Katara could remember seeing her brother, and she smiled when she saw Zuko take a regal wipe at his own eyes. 

Then Zuko came up next to Sokka to coo at the little bundle of baby boy, and casually placed his hand at the small of Sokka’s back. 

Katara remained calm as the two shared a look, watery smiles and worried brows and all. She could feel Aang lower his eyes to the baby respectfully and couldn’t hold back the surprised laugh that bubbled up her throat. She was  _ tired _ , so they would have to excuse her for taking them out of their moment. 

Zuko’s hand fell away from Sokka’s back and Aang intercepted Sokka as he moved to return Bumi to them. Katara carefully took the boy in her arms and rested his cheek against her chest. 

“Well,” Zuko said, clearing his throat. “Congratulations.” 

“We’ll let you two--  _ three-- _ be alone,” Sokka said. 

Katara thought she saw the slightest blush on both their faces before they turned to leave. Good for them. 

\--

Sokka confided in Katara when Kya was three years old. She had asked him to come over during his evening, when he was relieved of pressing Minister of Technology duties, to help entertain Bumi while she tried to teach Kya the basics of controlling her bending. The little girl developed faster than Katara had at her age-- and perhaps having two bender parents to model the use of it helped-- and Katara needed to get ahead of her lessons. Teach her when it was okay to use her abilities, and when it would upset Mommy and why. 

Like a natural, Sokka entertained Bumi with storytelling, followed by games, followed by racing him between the igloos, followed by having the (overwhelmingly energetic) seven year old run laps around the house while Sokka watched, exhausted. 

Eventually, he carried a snoring Bumi back inside, head resting on his shoulder. He sat by the fire like that, rubbing Bumi’s back as he continued to snore. 

Katara knew her brother was a good one to ask for help with children-- he had herded the boys of the tribe pretty well as a teen, after all. And, though it went unacknowledged, she knew the fatherly role he held in Izumi’s life when he went for his extended Fire Nation visits these days. 

Kya, too, was tuckered out in the early afternoon, and Katara put her down for a nap as well. 

So, snagging the moment’s quiet for once, Katara sat beside her brother by the fire. 

“I’m visiting Toph soon,” Sokka said softly so as not to wake either child. 

“In Republic City?” Katara asked, though that was a moot question. Of course in Republic City. 

Sokka nodded. “Dad asked me to check in on the councilman,” he said, “Zuko will be visiting, as well.” 

Katara raised her brows at him, but her brother deftly avoided eye contact by cooing at Bumi as he shifted in his sleep. Sokka was going to say something-- something  _ big _ \-- and he was stalling, she could feel it. 

“Is he also checking in on his councilman?” Katara asked, hoping to goad him closer to the point. 

Sokka kept his eyes fixed on Bumi’s hair for another long moment. 

“Actually,” he said, swallowing thickly. “He’s just visiting to see me.” 

Katara laughed lightly-- careful to keep it from sounding like she was laughing  _ at  _ him-- and said “He was here only five weeks ago. You miss each other that bad?” It was only a ribbing because, as far as Sokka was concerned and as far as he’d ever said, Katara thought of them as two close friends. Sokka shot her a look and she cut herself off, her smile freezing abruptly on her face. 

“You know, the United Republic Council is doing some interesting things. New things,” he said. So they were back to carefully edging around the issue. 

“Yes, I know,” she said. “Aang tells me all about it.” 

Sokka smiled toothily, but it was a mask. Katara knew the smile mask well. “Of course.” 

Aang had told her how he had talked the council members into approving several bills related to the legacy of the Air Nomads. They concerned things like establishing Yangchen’s Festival as a national holiday, a prohibition on pay differences according to gender, other anti-discrimination laws, and notably implementing a new institution of civil partnerships; unlike marriages in the other nations, these partnerships held less traditional obligation and were open to many couples that may not find similar options in their motherlands.  _ Something _ told Katara Sokka was toeing toward the last one. 

“Well, you can tell me about it too. What kind of things were you thinking of?” 

But he just shrugged. “Cool things.” 

Katara held in the frustrated groan she wanted to unleash on him, balling up one fist before pointedly letting it go. She got up on her knees, scooting across the hearth to him, and put a hand on his arm. That got his eyes off of Bumi long enough to look up at her, eyes wide and vulnerable-- an alien look on her brother’s face. 

She hadn’t planned what to say, but she leaned in over Bumi to press her cheek to his. He relaxed minutely as she leaned back on her heels again, keeping her hand on his bicep and giving it a squeeze. 

“I’m happy for you,” she said, and his eyes widened marginally. “Both of you.” 

Sokka averted his eyes again and swallowed thickly. Bumi was starting to move more and Sokka cupped the back of the boy’s head as he rolled to get onto his knees and stand, bringing him over to the furs where the children slept. 

Quietly, Sokka rejoined her in front of the fire. He sat criss-cross with his hands in his lap for long enough Katara thought perhaps she had spoken wrong. 

Just when she was going to try to walk back what she’d said, he looked at her, stretching his arms out behind himself to lean back and said, “I’ve told you you’re the best sister ever, right?”

**Author's Note:**

> this was going to be short but then i got inspired so it got longer, but then i got tired so it got shorter again <3   
> straight up was going to have them get married after zuko abdicated his throne <3 
> 
> hmu at my[ atla blog](https://meteor-sword.tumblr.com) or my[ main](https://vaenire.tumblr.com) .... feel free to send requests i might get around to them <3


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